Nissan's first autonomous vehicle took to the streets of Japan for the first time on Monday. The self-driving Leaf cruised public highways setting a new milestone for Nissan. The test of the self-driving Leaf was carried out with the cooperation of the Kangagawa prefectural government.

Nissan Vice Chairman Toshiyuki Shiga and Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa were aboard the autonomous Leaf for its first drive on the Sagami Expressway.

“I feel we are very near to creating fully autonomous drive. We entered the highway, overtook slower cars, and got off the highway, entirely in autonomous driving mode,” said Shiga.

“We entered the highway very slowly, at 40 km/hour, and driving at 80 km/hour on the highway. Autonomous drive is becoming very realistic now.”